Iron County register., 1887-10-20

| ALI uCu ICaiS6 fuG, AllSlGf i
want to know" pleaded.
well then, my dear. you was. and
what's more. you are; and that's the
Gospel truth. and many's the one
that thinks Sesame as me-"
Why should l care? and yet I did.
1t was not because / was too ugly
then. that Mike had escaped from me.
Other people had at times talked nom
sense to ms, when my heart had been
too weary to take much heed. and
my sister-in-law had chidden me
for not responding when the talk
ers had been eligible All that seemed
long ages ago, and now was soli-
tary aud moderately rich woman. with
a house of my own, and 3 parrot and
a terrier; and could be and was of
use to many of my family, whose un-
failing motto was as of old-''she
won't mind;" and no one guessed that
Twas not ugly. Had they been asked
what my opinion might have been on
the subject they would have. as usual,
believed me Indifferent. If I passed
as good creature" there were but
few steps to go to arrive at the fool.
may be. Tins good opinion cheered
me wonderfully. and I saw him start
for home with thorough regret.
A few days later, the sweeps being
in possession of the drawing room, d
telegram came announcing the arrival
of one of my nieces for violin lesson
in my house, t.if I did not mind.'
Hurriedly I had the piano rescued
from upstairs and carried into my lit
tie front snuggery; and just as it was
put in place by the awkward but will
ing helpers we had caught at a few
moments notice, my niece arrived.
and with her came graceful, lady
| like girl whose looks attracted me
greatly.
Ruth. this is Aunt Hannah" said
my niece. You didn't mind, did you.
Aunt Hannah; we thought you would
not; and Ruth plays my accompani-
ments so we'll We always play to-
gether now"
l had been so long away from the
/ old home that I had fallen out Of the
knowledge of the young peoples
friends; but from Ruth's looks was
glad she should be one of them. who
ever she might be.
The violin master came, and the les
son gave me intense pleasure. Ruth's
accompaniment was perfect; and as
! the violin was being carefully wiped
| and restored to its case begged her
to play me something-any thing
whatever she loved dbest-Mendelssoh
for choice, if she would" One after
another she played my best-loved old
friends. and turned mpatiently when
the footman openedsthe door and said
"a gentleman had called for the young
lady with Miss Grey
My uncle" said Ruth. apologetic-
ally.
| Pray ask him to come in," said;
and the next moment Mike stood once
more before me. He bowed a little shyly,
and !, with my back to the window.
stood spell-bound and silent
Yes, it was Mike-huge. winsome
| Mike-and I must greet him as best I
I might.
MIR Vivian" 1 faltered, IL had
| no idea it was YOU"
Two huge strides brought him to my
side.
sHannahr' he shouted; Miss Grey!
| Why, I was sent to Miss Sinclair s!
Have come to the wrong house?'
| The young people flew to him OPEN
mouthed about this wonderful thing.
and chattered, mercifully for ME, till
had recovered my balance little.
| From time to time Ifelt his eye upon
me, and grew a trifie hot and angry
under it Why should he look at me
now in that way? He had been mar
ried for years. and I-weu had set
tied into my old maid ways-and 1
had got over it." as the saying goes.
As if we ever lost 1.-The marks of that
which once had been"
As they all tropped out together. he
turned back at the door. and graspingi
my hand tightly, said: why did you
say not at home nine long years
ago9''
II didn'tt' exclaimed, indign ant
ly, in a stihed voice. you never
came"
Didn't I9'' he answered, and then
he was gone
That night slept not at all Back
ward and forward that refrain rang
in my ears. Didn't I?' Didn't I?'
Oh, Mike, oh. faithful hearted Mike,
have been wronging you all these
years3 Did you come, did you?-and
1 never knew it-and now it is too late.
Does she love you. I wonder, as
did-as I do, God help me. must live
it down and crush it under foot but
for this one night will allow myself
the joy of knowing that he did come
he did come; the rest can not even
guess at.
Happy, miserable, restless, and vet
soothed, came down the next morn
| ing and found I could sett le down to
nothing in the way of business The
piano stood where it had been placed
| the day before for the girls, and after
many vain efforts to attend properly
to writing which ought to have been
done, I wandered up to it and sat me
down listlessly. trying to pick up the
| thread of all that child's sympathetic
tigers had done such full justice to;
and as played my heart grew lighter.
and by degrees my Mendelssohns
modulated off into lighter music, and /
found myself beating time once more
! with my foot to that Waldteuffel
| walse which had been dearer to me
than all beside. How / played it! I
1 L. sy,&